The Robin and the Baritone
by Sketcher1994
Summary: Zoro yawned as he stretched, having just been woken by the usual melodic singing. Every morning, the sweet sound of his neighbour's voice would seep through his floor and gently caress him awake. He had actually stopped setting an alarm for work since she had moved in. He had never met her, but she had him humming along with her singing every time she stepped into her shower.


**AN: One Piece belongs to Eiichiro Oda! I do not own 'My Immortal' by Evanescence either!**

 **Hey! I know I've been a little quiet lately** _(I've only been updating my completely finished fic since I've been having problems writing :( Sorry!)_ **, but here's a little update for you! I've been told that the Zorobin shippers are currently suffering through a crisis, so here you go, my wondeful fellow Zorobin shippers! Please enjoy! ^_^**

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· **From the prompt:** "you live in the apartment above me and every day I can hear you singing in the shower but you're really good and it makes my day" au by edge-of-bizarre on Tumblr.

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Zoro yawned as he began stretching, having just been woken by the usual melodic singing. It was not him singing, obviously. Of course, he did not have a problem with singing, but he just was not the type of guy to just randomly burst into song. It was, in fact, his neighbour downstairs. Every morning at the same time, that sweet sound would seep up through his floor and gently caress him awake. He had actually stopped setting an alarm for work since she had moved in. For the last two months, she would start singing at the exact same time every day. He did not know what her name was and he had no idea what she looked like, but she had him humming along with her singing every time she stepped into her shower. He had not peeped on her; he could just hear the hissing of the water as it hit her.

He mumbled a quiet 'morning' to her, knowing perfectly well that she could not hear him. He had just decided to take it up since it seemed the decent thing to do. He began humming to her gentle, sombre melody as he began to dress. He knew the song fairly well, but he did not want to sing along with her in case she heard his deep baritone through the floor. If he could hear her, chances are, she could hear him. He did not want to know what she thought of the conversations that went on in his apartment when his friends were over.

He yawned again as he stepped out of his room and into his living room and kitchen. His humming grew as he pulled the breakfast pack out of the fridge. He grinned as she began the next song as he moved his frying pan onto the front ring of his cooker. Her soothing voice sang words about a never forgotten love and the longing for the kiss of an old lover. Part of him was almost tempted to sing back to her, but he knew he could not; they had never met. One day he would have to fix that, but not while he was getting ready for work.

His humming became quiet, rough, mumbled singing as the song reached full strength. He turned the sausages in the pan as he continued to absently sing along. He grabbed the bacon and threw it into the pan as yet another song ended. The hiss of her shower ended, but her voice continued. Now it sang quietly of not letting others see her cry while telling them that she was fine. It sang sadly of trying to believe in the happier things and he paused in his cooking. He had not heard this one before and he almost wished he had. He felt strangely in need of going to comfort her, but he did not know why.

He plated up his breakfast as she continued to unknowingly sing to him. She sounded lost and heartbroken as she sang of wanting to fly. Maybe he should go check on her? No, then she would know that he had been able to hear everything. Her singing quietened, only to begin another chillingly sombre song that he knew all too well. He had switched it off every time it had come on since Kuina's death, but his neighbour was singing it so beautifully. Who could she have lost to be able to put so much meaning into those words about being haunted?

"When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears," he suddenly began in his deep baratone as he accompanied her sweet, sorrowful voice, "when you'd scream I'd fight away all your fears," he continued, his voice becoming more passionate, "and I held your hand through all of these years," he sung, unaware that his partner had fallen silent, "but you still have all of me..." he drifted off, feeling a wave of grief strike him. He had been doing so well these past few months.

He sighed as he lifted his plate and carried it over to his kitchen table. He began chewing heavily on the dry, tasteless pile of food. It had been four years since she had died, but it had not been easy. After mourning her for a few weeks, he had decided that enough was enough. He had picked up her katana and went back to training, working twice as hard for both of them. Her father had accepted his wish to stand in her place, knowing that they had shared the same dream, but that did not end the pain. His grief insisted on attacking him whenever if felt like it. It did not matter if he was in the middle of driving somewhere or reading the newspaper. Its favourite time to attack was when he had several tonnes balanced on his feet while he did a handstand. He could never train with her again.

Zoro jumped as he heard a knock on his front door. He sat staring at the pale, pine wood door as he tried to decide whether or not to answer it. He was not expecting anyone and he was supposed to be getting ready for work. If it had been one of his friends, they would have text first. He shrugged and began chewing on a sausage. The surprisingly quiet knock sounded again and he sighed. He stood up with the half sausage still hanging out his mouth as he padded lazily towards the door. He checked the peephole, but he had no idea who the woman on the other side was. Frowning, he unlocked the door and pulled it open.

"I am sorry to have disturbed you." She began, clearly amused as she stared at the sausage hanging out of his mouth. He jerked it out as he felt his cheeks heat slightly.

"I wasn't expecting anyone." He grumbled, looking away from her pale blue eyes.

"I am afraid I was not expecting an accompaniment this morning or I would have played some more upbeat music." She smiled coyly as his entire face burned.

"Y-You're my neighbour from downstairs?" He stammered, gaping at the tall, busty woman in front of him.

"I am indeed." She laughed, hiding her smile behind her pale, delicate fingers. "You have a very impressive voice."

"S-So do you." He returned with a cough as he tried to regain his composure. "I didn't mean intrude, sorry."

"I should have realised earlier that you could hear me." She nodded, the smile still playing on her lips.

"Why's that?" He frowned, suddenly feeling slightly self-conscious.

"Your friends are very interesting people." She replied almost airily. "I believe Nami is the only woman in your group?"

"Wha- How-? How do you know that?" He rushed, staring at her in disbelief.

"Fufufufu, shall I name your other friends, _Zoro_?" She teased as she slipped a strand of her straight ebony hair back behind her ear. "Although, I have heard you mention another woman when you are alone? It almost seems as if you are talking to her." She pressed lightly, clearly curious. "Is she the one you were singing for?"

"Look, I gotta go-"

"Sorry if I have overstepped," she began quietly, "I did not mean to be rude."

"No, it's fine." Zoro grunted as he began closing the door. He paused, looking back at her. "I do need to get ready for work...I'll be back about half five though?"

"Are you inviting me back, Zoro?" She mused, her light giggle sounding as his cheeks once again began to heat.

"I just figured you might wanna talk..." He explained awkwardly as he held the door half-closed. "You sounded kinda upset while you were singing."

"I believe a drink would be a better idea for such a serious conversation? I know of a very nice bar that we could go to." She smiled almost too playfully. "Perhaps we could do a duet for their karaoke competition." She teased as she turned to walk back downstairs, leaving him standing dumbstruck in his doorway.


End file.
